The Mental Ward
by Agathy
Summary: Tai discovers his evil twin brother (who, coincidentally, shares his name) who is out to take over his life and destroy him in every way possible...and Tai believes in it all, until he wakes up....


The Mental Ward  
  
Dana smiled. A smile she thought that she'd never have again. Get over yourself, Dana, she thought. Her old classmates had been a bunch of jerks. Dana went back to her thought: I'm a new person. Today I shall start over as the new Dana Kamiya. (pronounced ka-mi-ah, not ka-me-ah)   
  
She was standing in a deserted hallway in Odaiba High. Her smile grew wider as she noticed a tall, thin guy standing at the end of the hallway. His locker was somewhat near hers.   
  
This was Tai. He also noticed another student in the hallway. It was very late in the day, maybe about 5 pm. Tai had stayed late because of soccer practice, and was guessing that this girl had also.   
  
Dana, who was a pretty redhead with sea-blue eyes, introduced herself nonchalantly. "Hi, I'm Dana."   
  
Tai looked straight at her. "Hi. I'm Tai. I've never seen you around here before. Are you new?" He noted that she was pretty, but of course, not that pretty.   
  
"Yeah. I just switched to Odaiba today. The people here seem nice. My old classmates were kind of mean."   
  
Phoebe, who had no apparent last name, walked down the same hallway. "Hey, Tai. Your sister's waiting for you."   
  
Tai, who had a huge crush on her (partly because she was very pretty, smart and popular), replied, "Wonderful. Tell Kari I'll be out in a minute."   
  
"Good. But she's waiting, and I'm not your slave. So, who's this?"   
  
Dana frowned. "Are you Tai's girlfriend?"   
  
Phoebe laughed. "Since you asked me, no. And if I were, I wouldn't be just 'Tai's girlfriend.' I'm Phoebe."   
  
"I'm Dana Kamiya. Nice to meet you."   
  
"Nice meeting you, too. Wait, what's your last name? Kamiya? Tai's last name is Kamiya (ka-me-ah)."   
  
"Hey, social club!" Sora ran over, finished with her soccer practice. "Hey, aren't you Dana? Dana Kamiya?"   
  
Tai screamed, "Quit saying that! You're creeping me out!"   
  
"Well, Tai, I suggest that you get going. This is the third time that Kari's had to have me come over here!"   
  
At that moment, a chill ran down the hallway. The school's temperature dropped nearly a dozen degrees. A wind circled Tai's locker. It began to rain, and not just rain. It was literally pouring. The three girls ran out of the school, leaving Tai all by himself.   
  
A shadow crept along the wall. A boy who was exactly Tai's height and thinness appeared. In fact, he looked exactly like Tai!   
  
"Hello, Tai. Long time no see, huh?" he said.   
  
"Wh-who are you? You look just like me!"   
  
"Obviously, as I'm your twin brother. Geez, what's wrong with you? You look as if you'd seen a ghost or something. And what did you do to your hair?! It's an abomination!"   
  
"Yeah, well, I thought that you were some...demon. And you are. I don't have a twin brother. I don't even have a brother!"   
  
"Yeah, well, I'm not. You mean that you were never told about me? I'm glad that I wasn't brought up like how you were. I mean, not that that's bad or anything, I'm just glad. No offense."   
  
"What's your name? You haven't even told me what your name is," Tai whispered distantly.   
  
"Well, you can call me...Tai. Naturally. My foster parents just liked that name, so they decided to give it to me. I know that it's your name too, but your last name's Kamiya. My last name's Kayima. Different, huh?"   
  
Tai sighed with fear. "Yes. Very different."   
  
"It's nice to finally meet my own twin brother. Well, I'd better be heading home now. My parents are really rich, you know. They live in America, but I moved here just to meet you."   
  
"Where are you staying?"   
  
"Where do you think? At your house, of course."   
  
Tai's brother grinned and left. Kari saw him. "Finally! The rain is getting to me and I'm not very amused. Wow, Tai, what did you do to your hair? It's much better now. And you aren't wearing your school uniform anymore! That's great! It's like I have a whole new and not to mention cooler brother!"   
  
He smiled. "Well, you're right about that. No more of that abominable hair."   
  
Kari grinned. "Your hair looks really cool, Tai."   
  
"Yeah. Let's get going now."   
  
Tai stared angrily at this twin brother who had the same name as him, dressed better and had 'cooler' hair. "You are my ruination, Tai Kayima," he said.   
  
--------   
  
Kari and the other Tai stepped into their house. Their mother greeted them. "Hi, kids. Tai! Your hair is so much neater and better now. And you've finally stopped wearing the Odaiba High uniform; it needs to be washed anyhow."   
  
Tai Kayima smiled. This is my life, he thought, with a bunch of people who love and like me. My twin brother's life is great. And now I'll receive an atrocious amount of compliments, because he's such a dork. I'm actually making him cooler, making him normal. So he should thank me when this is done. If it ever is done.   
  
Sora knocked on his door. Come on, Tai, I really need to talk to you. Answer the door!   
  
Tai Kayima opened the door. "Hey, Sora, what's up?"   
  
Sora stepped back in surprise. He looks so good, she thought. "Your hair looks great, Tai. You look way better now. Anyway, I need to talk to you."   
  
"About what, Sora? You like my new look so much that you want to go out with me?"   
  
She blushed, then pointed at him. "Actually, no. Anyway, Tai...I need to know how to do the math homework. I just don't get it. And your phone was busy, and you hardly ever check your e-mail, so-----"   
  
"Oh, stop making excuses. You know you just wanted to see me."   
  
"Oh, stop being so dumb! Just tell me how to do the math!" she said, although she was smiling.   
  
"Come in, then I'll tell you." Tai Kayima quickly explained the homework, as he was a math whiz. Well, actually, he was good at nearly every subject.   
  
"Thanks, I owe you one, Tai Kamiya." Sora left.   
  
Hmm...Tai must never have been what I am. That Sora is really pretty, and here I am wondering why my twin brother never asked her out, Tai Kayima thought.   
  
Tai Kayima then checked his brother's e-mail. His password was written down on a small scrap of paper near the computer. "Ahhh...this is the life. Well, Tai sure had a lot of female friends, but no real girlfriends. What a loser. Well, he does believe in demons, so I should have figured that."   
  
--------   
  
Meanwhile, poor Tai had to walk home. Kari and the other Tai had taken the bus already, and no buses were careening around this area at 6 pm. Then he saw Phoebe. What was she doing around here this late?   
  
"Phoebe! What are you doing here at 6?"   
  
"Tai, is that you? No, can't be. I'm seeing things. I saw you leave with Kari earlier. Your hair looks way cooler now, too. Bye, vision!" Phoebe shook her head.   
  
Tai gasped. Am I not living? Does no one believe that I'm Tai Kamiya? I'm Tai! Not my brother! Tai Kayima is trying to ruin my life, and only in an hour! Kari, my own sister, doesn't recognize me. Phoebe, one of my closest friends and my crush, thinks that I'm a vision in her mind! What's wrong with them? Why can't they see through him?! He's not Tai Kamiya, I am!   
  
Tai continued home. He was in a delirious state of mind, but wouldn't you be? I sure would, if I were him.   
  
I can't go home. Tai Kayima is there. I don't know where to go; I don't belong anywhere! Then a thought came across to him. Matt's, he's my best friend, he's gotta know me.   
  
Tai walked over to Matt's house. Then he saw Matt with-----none other than his twin! Oh, Tai Kayima, why are you here?! Why did you leave your rich parents in the U.S.? Why are you ruining my life? I want you to leave!   
  
Tai thought of the places that he could go to. Wherever I am, Tai Kayima will be there already! No one will ever believe that I am Tai!   
  
Not Sora's, not Izzy's...nowhere. Wait, he thought, the Digital World! I can go there, Agumon will believe me! Tai Kayima won't be there, he can't! He's not a DigiDestined! Only the good are chosen to be DigiDestineds! He's certainly not good, or else he wouldn't be doing this to me!   
  
Tai immediately transported to the Digital World. He found Agumon. Yesss!!! Tai Kayima's not here! Maybe I can live here...since no one on Earth will believe me. "Agumon, I-----"   
  
Agumon glared at him. "Who are you, some kind of imposter? Tai was here just minutes ago, and I saw his great new look!"   
  
Tai broke down. "Noooo...this can't...be...happening...to me...." He transported out, back to Earth. He visited all of his former friends' houses, but everybody just slammed the door in his face. Even Davis, who idolized him! Is there anyone who will believe me yet? Is there anybody left? Wait, maybe that girl that I met today, Dana...no, not her! She doesn't even know me! But I'll try, just in case. Dana answered the door. "Tai! Oh, it's so nice to see you again! Well, why don't you come in?"   
  
"D-Dana? You recognize me?!"   
  
"Well, naturally! How could I not recognize the cutest guy in the world?"   
  
So Dana recognizes me! How can this be? She doesn't know me, I don't know her, so why-----   
  
"Tai, there's something...that I want to ask you." Dana smiled. I don't care if his hair is totally weird, or if he always wears that uniform of his....   
  
  
  
Tai is really cute, I have to admit, thought Dana.  
  
"Dana? Dana! Are you still there?"   
  
Dana woke from her thought. "Tai, I-----really like you. I really do, even if I've just met you. And not just as friends."   
  
Tai was amazed. "You-----you do?! But I'm so-----"   
  
"Yes, you're so wonderful, so amazing...that's why I was hoping that Phoebe wasn't-----"   
  
"My girlfriend? Well, no, she isn't. But I really like her, and-----"   
  
"I see. I feel really stupid now, but I guess that we can just be friends, right? I mean, if I can't be your girlfriend, I'll settle for just being friends."   
  
Tai thought for a minute. Do I want to be 'just friends' with this girl? I mean, she's pretty.... She's also the only one that believes that I'm Tai Kamiya, not some imposter! And even though Phoebe's way prettier and smarter, she doesn't like me like that and she probably never will. And she thought that I was a vision! No, I don't want to be 'just friends' with Dana. Maybe this means something. Maybe we're soulmates or something, that's why she knows who I am.  
  
"No, actually, what I meant to say was that-----I don't like her anymore. You're way prettier anyway."   
  
"Really?! Oh, Tai, you're so wonderful!"  
  
--------   
  
Tai Kayima was right on Dana's porch. Hmm, Dana, will you like Tai Kamiya so much after you see his striking twin brother, Tai Kayima? I'll bet you $100 you won't....   
  
Tai answered the door. "YOU!!! You're ruining my life! You stole my friends, my family, my Digimon...and now you're here to steal my girlfriend!"   
  
Tai Kayima smiled thinly. "Well, I never steal, Tai Kamiya. I-----borrow."   
  
Dana moved in. So two guys want me. Twin brothers, too! Well! Now this isn't an ordinary love triangle-----  
  
-----Tai Kamiya versus-his twin, Tai Kayima! Tai Kayima is even cuter than his brother, though. What did I ever see in Tai Kamiya? He's a dork!   
  
"Hey, aren't you Tai's twin? Are you single?"   
  
Tai's mind raced with fear. No! Tai Kayima won again. He's now succeeded in stealing and fooling my family, my friends, my girlfriend for, like, two seconds, and my DIGIMON!!!!! Nooooo, that means that my evil twin brother is---like me! He's a DigiDestined too! He's going to haunt me for the rest of my life! And I'll never be my own self again! Why is he doing this to me? I'm sure that his rich, American life was perfect! I'm sure that he had everything! So why did he come to mess up mine?! Maybe he got bored! Maybe he just wanted more, because he was probably so spoiled by his adoptive parents! Then a horrid thought struck the poor guy. Maybe he's just...pure EVIL! NO! I thought that the good twin, evil twin thing only happened in books, or movies, or on the television! Not to me! Why would such a thing happen to me? I'm not a bad person, well at least not compared to my brother! Is this my fate?! To die without...anybody caring...or even knowing??? Is this what my brother wants for me?! But he's my twin, he can't want to do this to me! Maybe he thinks that he's in a dream, or in a video game like Ken thought! But that's still sick! He might be having a dream...about stealing another person's life?! Oh geez, maybe I'm in a dream!   
  
"Tai? Are you there? Tai?! Tai! TAI KAMIYA!!!"   
  
Tai woke from his nightmare. It was only a dream, only a dream, I don't have an evil twin brother that has a name eerily similar to mine. There is no one named Tai Kayima! Tai Kayima is gone! Forever! He was never here! It was only a dream, Tai, don't get so uptight about it!   
  
"He-loo, Tai, what planet are you visiting?"   
  
"Who are you?! What is this place??? It's all white and-----"   
  
"Shhh, Tai, they might want to move you to the extra-special mental ward. I mean, everyone already knows that you're a mental, Kamiya." I stood there, dressed as a nurse.  
  
"Uh, but who are you?"   
  
"What do I look like? A bimbo dressed in a white suit? I'm a nurse, obviously. I'm Nurse Stephanie. But you're allowed to call me Illusion Creator. Heh. Anyway, Dr. Kavorkian will be here in just a second-----"   
  
"WHAT???!!! You mean that guy that kills people?!"   
  
"He-llo. He's not 'that guy,' he's a doctor. And he kills people, but not because he wants to. It's called euthanasia. And I thought that you were 14. Are you not? Oh, wait, don't answer that. Since you're a mental, you probably don't remember. Or maybe you do. I'm not in charge of the mental ward."   
  
"He's going to euthanize me!"   
  
"Ah, don't worry, dear Tai. If he comes in with a little jacket for you, then you won't be euthanized. But if he doesn't, then---you're dead."   
  
"Wha-what do you mean, little jacket? My uniform jacket is perfectly fine!"   
  
I slapped my forehead. "A straightjacket, Tai."   
  
Suddenly, Tai grabbed my collar. "Wait! Am I a DigiDestined??? Do I have a twin brother? If I do, is his name Tai Kayima? Do I have a crush on a girl named Phoebe, but did I date this girl named Dana for a couple seconds? Do I have a sister named Kari? Does this kid named Davis admire me? Do I have a best friend named Matt?"   
  
"Uh, what are you talking about? Tai, you're a single child, you have no friends and, for sure, no kid named Davis wants to be like you. And what the heck's a stupid Digi-whatever you said?!"   
  
"A DigiDestined! Don't you see? My brother Tai Kayima was taking over my life and he stole my family my friends my girlfriend of two seconds and-----"   
  
Dr. Kavorkian had entered the room. "Nurse Stephanie, is this boy okay?" I shook my head. "No, he's even worse off than I thought he was! He's been dreaming up his whole life! He even thinks that he's a Digi-something, I forgot. But he is certainly not okay. I'm afraid that you must euthanize him. I'm sorry, because he's such a nice young man, even if he's a mental. He's not endangering anyone but himself, Doctor."   
  
Tai screamed, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!! I'm normal! I was NOT dreaming up my whole life! Doctor, I think that you should fire this girl. She looks younger than I am and she's telling you a bunch of crap and she doesn't really care that I have to be euthanized!"   
  
Dr. Kavorkian sighed. "You were right, Nurse. Tai must be euthanized. He's not in the right mind. He is endangering himself. This sort of behavior isn't natural and it isn't good for anyone. Especially someone so young! Goodness, he'll be in the extreme mental ward by next month, and then he'll probably kill himself. That will be much more painful than if we just euthanize him now." He turned to Tai.   
  
"Tai, Stephanie and I are truly sorry. Please believe us, Tai."   
  
Tai freaked out, screamed, yelled, and threw a huge fit. All of the way up until he was given the lethal injection....   
  
The End 


End file.
